Flying Lesson: Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

Over the last three years, I've flown about 300,000 miles, so needless to say I've learned some lessons along the road. Well, in October of 2014, a disgruntled employee at the FAA decided to light the building on fire, which also happened to shut down O'Hare airport. So I get an emergent email from American Airlines saying “get to the airport we're going to try to get you home today, but there's some problems.” So I get to the airport and it's just amazing the behavior of people when something is stressful like this.

Now the gentleman in front of me seemed completely normal until we started to approach the counter and as we get up to the gate agent you can see him starting to fidget a little bit, moving a little bit quicker, and he gets to the counter and the lady says “where you going?” and he says, “I'm an Executive Platinum and I need to get home today,” and he's just ranting and raving and she says something so brilliant.

She said, “Sir. Sir. There are only two people who care about you getting home tonight and you're pissing one of them off.”

Well, you’ve never seen someone get their emotions in check so quickly. He lowers his voice, and he apologizes, and he just got himself together and slowed down, I mean it was amazing. But that gate agent really taught a lesson that was so important. And the lesson was, that Your Attitude, Determines Your Altitude. I’m going to say it one more time and I'm going to ask you to say with me, Your Attitude, Determines Your Altitude. Will you say it with me? Your Attitude, Determines Your Altitude.